Religion
Hymns for Children, 42
From Hymns for Children (1763) · Osborn ed., vol. 6 (1870)
But who sufficient is to lead.
And execute the vast design?
How can our arduous toil succeed.
When earth and hell their forces join
The meanest instruments to' o'erthrow
"Which Thou hast ever used below?
Mountains, alas! on mountains rise,
To make our utmost efforts vain;
The work our feeble strength defies,
And all the helps and hopes of man;
Our utter impotence we see.
But nothing is too hard for Thee!
The things impossible to man.
Thou canst for Thy own people do:
Thy strength be in our weakness seen,
Thy wisdom in our folly show!
Prevent, accompany, and bless,
And crown the whole with full success.
Unless the power of heavenly grace,
The wisdom of the Deity,
Direct and govern all our ways.
And all our works be wrought in Thee,-
Our blasted works, we know, shall fail.
And earth and hell at last prevail.
But, O almighty God of love,
Into Thy hand the matter take,
The mountain-obstacles remove.
For Thy own truth and mercy sake;
Fulfil in ours Thy own design.
And prove the work entirely Thine.
Cite this poem
MLA
Wesley, Charles. “Hymns for Children, 42.” Poetry Codex, poetrycodex.com/poem/wesley_c/1569/.
Chicago
Wesley, Charles. “Hymns for Children, 42.” Poetry Codex. https://poetrycodex.com/poem/wesley_c/1569/.
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